Bumper supported guard



J. R. THORP ET AL BUMPER SUPPORTING GUARD Feb. 11, 1941.

Original Filed Feb. 9, 1938 INVENTOR5 ATTORNEY.

Patented F eb. 11, 1941 sra'rss TN FEE BUMPER SUPPORTED GUARD New YorkOriginal application February 9, 1938, Serial No. 189,495. Divided andthis application July 14, 1939, Serial No. 284,434

8 Claims.

This invention relates in general to improvements in the art ofmanufacturing protective devices for vehicles, and relates moreparticularly to improvements in the construction and operation of guardsadapted to be mounted forwardly or rearwardly of an automobile for thepurpose of protecting adjacent structure such as the radiator grille andbody of the car.

The present application is a division of our copen-ding applicationSerial No. 189,495, filed February 9, 1938, Patent No. 2,214,513,September 10, 1940.

Generally defined, an object of this invention is to provide an improvedbumper supported guard which is simple and durable in construction, andwhich may be readily applied to a bumper so as to most efiectivelyperform its intended service.

A more specific object of our present invention is to provide animproved sectional guard assemblageof considerable lateral width, theseveral sections of which can be conveniently and rigidly interconnectedand attached to bumpers of various types.

Another specific object of the invention is to provide an improvedbumper supported guard of the inverted V or U-shaped type, adapted forapplication to either the front or the rear bumper of a vehicle.

A further specific object of this invention is to provide a new anduseful guard structure which is exceptionally rigid in construction,which may be manufactured at moderate cost from sheet metal with the aidof punches and dies, and 35 which will moreover present a neat andhighly finished appearance when associated with a vehicle.

Still another specific object of this invention is to provide a guardwhich may be conveniently applied as an accessory to many types ofstandard bumpers, and which may also be varied in Width to suit thewhims of the user.

These .and other specific objects and advantages of our invention willbe apparent from the following detailed description:

A clear conception of the several features constituting thisimprovement, and of the mode of constructing and of applying severaltypes of the improved bumper supported guards, may be had by referringto the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specificationwherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts inthe various views.

Fig. 1 is a front view of one of our improved bumper supported guards,showing the same applied to fragments of an automobile bumper, andhaving .a portion of the top thereof broken away;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken through a fragment of the upperportion of the guard, the section being taken along the line 2-2 of Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is a part sectional view of the upper portion of one of theimproved guards, showing the mode of separating the guard sections so asto increase the overall width of the guard;

Fig. 4 is .a top view of the assemblage of Fig, 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the assemblage of Figs. 3 and 4,taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and.

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section through the same assemblage,taken along the line 66 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, the improved bumper supported guard showntherein comprises in general, two similar but reversely directed sidemembers 20, 2| formed of sheet metal and having their respective upperends provided with curved coacting flanges 22', 23 adapted to beadjustably but firmly interconnected by means of a clamping bolt 24 andlock washer 25, while their lower end portions 26 are similarly formedfor rigid attachment to a vertically and horizontally curved bumper 21.The adjoining upper flanges 22, 23 of the sections or members 20, 2| areso curved as to permit relative angular adjustment of these sections insuch manner that the lower end portions 26 will properly coact withbumpers 21 having diiferent horizontal or longitudinal curvature, andthe bolt 24 coacts with slots 28 in the flanges 22, 23 so as to permitsuch adjustment. The joint between the upper ends of the members 2|], 2|may be concealed by means of an ornamental escutcheon plate 29 havingears 3!] passing through holes in the member ends, or being otherwisesecured to the members 20, 2|. The members .20, 2| are preferably formedwith the aid of punches and dies from relatively heavy sheet metal, andthese side members preferably have U-shaped or dished transversecross-section and have the flanges 22, 23 formed integral therewith. Thelower end portions 25 of the two members 20, 2| are of like formation;and the oppositeside flanges of these portions coact with the outercurved face of the bumper 21 through distortable adapters 39, and may berigidly attached to the bumper bar in any suitable manner, as byremovable clamps.

The mode of assembling and of attaching the bumper supported guard ofFigs. 1 and 2 to a bumper, should be clearly apparent from the foregoingdescription, and the curvature of the coacting flanges 22, 23 willobviously permit relative swinging adjustment of the members 20, 2|

so as to bring th rear edges of the flanges of the lower member portions26 into proper initial en- 5 gagement with the front face of the bumper21.

It may in some cases be desirable to widen the guard assemblage, andwith the improved construction, such widening may readily be effected inthe manner specifically shown in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive. Here the sidemembers 20, 2| are separated the desired distance, and a spacer 64 isinserted between the flanges 22, 23 of the side members. This spacer 64has curved end flanges 65, 66 formed for coaction with the flanges 2:2,23 respectively, and a long bolt 6'! passes through alined slots in allof the flanges. The spacer flanges E5, 66 are spaced apart by means of asleeve 68 embracing the bolt 61, and an elongated escutcheon cover 63 ofdecorative design is utilized to conceal the spacer 64 and the joints.The cover 69 may be detachably secured to the spacer 64 by means ofscrews 10 coacting with a vertical retainer plate M, or in any othermanner, and the curved surfaces of coaction between the flanges Z2, 23,65, 68 will obviously permit the side members 28, 2| to be adjusted soas to insure proper coaction between the lower member portions 26 andbumpers 2'! of various shapes.

From the foregoing detailed description it will be apparent that ourpresent invention provides an improved bumper supported guard assemblagewhich may be conveniently applied to bumpers of various shapes whilepreserving a neat and highly finished appearance. The improved spacercooperable with the flanges 22,

3 of the side members 20, 2| will permit ready variation in the overallwidth of the guard, and the various elements of the structure may bereadily manufactured from sheet metal with the 4g aid of punches anddies, and produce a durable assemblage when properly associated witheach other. The invention has proven highly successful in actualcommercial use and produces a guard assemblage which is extremelyattractive 45 in appearance and which may be readily applied to moststandard automobile bumpers.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this inventionto the exact details of construction or to the precise mode of use,here- 50in shown and described, for various modifications Within thescope of the claims, may occur to persons skilled in the art.

We claim:

1. A bumper supported guard, comprising, a

55 pair of similar side members having lower portions formed forattachment to a bumper and having upper end portions extending towardeach other, said end portions having laterally curved surfaces ofcoaction for permitting relative lat- 50 eral angular adjustment of themembers, and

means for rigidly connecting said members.

2. A bumper supported guard, comprising,side members each having a lowerportion formed for attachment to a bumper and having their up- 65 perends formed with laterally curved surfaces facing each other, and meansfor rigidly connecting said members adjacent said surfaces, thecurvature of said surf-aces permitting relative lateral angularadjustment of the members.

3. A bumper supported guard, comprising, a pair of similar side membershaving lower portions formed for attachment to a bumper and having upperend portions extending toward each other, said end portions havinglaterally curved surfaces of coaction for permitting relative lateralangular adjustment of the members, means for rigidly connecting saidmembers, and an escutcheon secured to said members and covering thejoint at said connecting means.

4. A bumper supported guard, comprising, similar side members havinglower portions formed for attachment to a bumper and having laterallycurved upper surfaces facing each other, a spacer interposed between andcoacting with said surfaces, and means for rigidly connecting saidmembers and said spacer, said surfaces being formed to permit relativelateral angular adjustment of said members.

5. A bumper supported guard, comprising, a pair of side members ofchannel shaped transverse cross-section each having a lower portionformed for attachment to a bumper and also having an upper end portionextending toward the upper end portion of the other member, said upperend portions having integral flanges provided with laterally curvedsurfaces of coaction for permitting relative lateral angular adjustmentof the members, and means for rigidly connecting said flanges.

6. A bumper supported guard, comprising, a pair of side members ofchannel shaped transverse cross-sec-tion each having a lower portionformed for attachment to a bumper and also having an upper end portionextending toward the corresponding end portion of the other member, saidupper end portions having integral flanges provided with laterallycurved surfaces, a spacer interposed between and having end surfacescoacting with said curved flange surfaces to permit relative lateralangular adjustment of the members, and means for rigidly interconnectingsaid flanges and said spacer.

'7. A vertical guard for attachment to horizontal bumper bars ofdifferent lengthwise curvatures and configuration, at points in the sameor angularly related vertical planes, comprising laterally spacedupstanding members having lower portions similarly formed for attachmentto bumper bars, laterally curved opposed spaced faces on the upperportions of said members and a horizontally extending member locatedbetween the upper portions of said upstanding members and havinglaterally curved end faces complemental to and engaging said laterallycurved faces on said upstanding members, whereby said upstanding membersmay be angularly adjusted with respect to said horizontally extendingmember and with respect to each other to permit the lower portions ofsaid upstanding members to be brought into proper cooperative relationto the points of attachment on the horizontal bumper bar.

8. A vertical guard for attachment to horizontal bumper bars ofdifferent lengthwise curvatures and configuration, at points in the sameor angularly related vertical planes, comprising laterally spacedupstanding members having lower portions similarly formed for attachmentto bumper bars, and laterally curved opposed cooperatively engaged faceson the upper portions of said members, whereby said upstanding membersmay be angularly adjusted with respect to each other to permit the lowerportions of said members to be brought into proper cooperative relationto the points of attachment on the horizontal bumper bar.

JOEL R. THORP. STEEN STRAND.

